NFL MAN OF YEAR
Rodgers, Boldin, Davis finalists for NFL’s Man of Year
NEW YORK (AP) β Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, San Francisco wide receiver Anquan Boldin and Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis have been selected as finalists for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.
The winner will be announced during the NFL Honors awards special in Arizona on Jan. 31, the night before the Super Bowl.
The award, named after the late Hall of Fame running back, recognizes a player’s off-field community service as well as his playing excellence. The winner will receive a $50,000 donation in his name to a charity of his choice from the NFL Foundation and Nationwide. The other finalists will receive $10,000 donations in their names.
The finalists were chosen from among the 32 team nominees, all of whom receive a $5,000 donation to their charities.
T25-NORTH CAROLINA-CLEMSON
No. 12 North Carolina eases past Clemson 78-56
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) β Jessica Washington scored a career-high 20 points to help No. 12 North Carolina beat Clemson 78-56 on Sunday.
The Tar Heels have won nine straight road games against Clemson dating back to 1996-97.
Stephanie Mavunga had 15 points for North Carolina (16-3, 3-2 ACC), Jamie Cherry added 12 and Allisha Gray 10. Washington made 7 of 11 shots, including 4 of 7 3-pointers, as the Tar Heels connected on 52.8 percent of their field goals.
Washington made back-to-back 3-pointers to cap a 24-6 spurt to open the game. She had 11 points at the break and Gray added 10 as North Carolina led 45-24.
Nikki Dixon made 13 of 14 free throws and finished with 17 points for Clemson (9-10, 1-5). Tiffany Lewis added 13 points as the Tigers lost their fifth consecutive game.
Dixon became Clemson’s 10th all-time leading scorer after making the most free throws by an ACC player this season.
T25-VIRGINIA TECH-NORTH CAROLINA
Jackson, No. 15 UNC earn sloppy 68-53 win over Hokies
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) β Justin Jackson scored 16 points and No. 15 North Carolina held on for a sloppy 68-53 win over Virginia Tech on Sunday night.
Brice Johnson added 12 points and 11 rebounds to help the Tar Heels (14-4, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) win their fourth straight.
North Carolina shot 44 percent and overcame 17 turnovers β its most in nearly a month β by forcing Virginia Tech into 14.
The Tar Heels held the Hokies scoreless for nearly 7 minutes and outrebounded them 49-22, allowing them just four on the offensive glass.
Adam Smith had 11 points to lead Virginia Tech (8-9, 0-4), which cut an 18-point deficit to eight and closed to 61-53 on Smith’s 3-pointer with just over 2 minutes left.
Theo Pinson countered with a dunk, and J.P. Tokoto, Brice Johnson and Nate Britt combined to hit 5 of 6 free throws in the final minute.
T25-MIAMI-DUKE
Williams’ double-double leads No. 16 Duke past Miami 68-53
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) β Elizabeth Williams scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to help No. 16 Duke beat Miami 68-53 on Sunday.
Williams moved into seventh place on Duke’s all-time scoring list with her 24th career double-double.
Azura Stevens had a career-high 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Duke (13-5, 4-1 ACC). Williams was 12 of 18 from the field as the Blue Devils hit 54.5 percent of their shots.
Duke made its last five shots of the first half and held a 30-25 lead at the break after hitting 13 of 23 shots. Miami was limited to 8-of-34 shooting in the first half, including 5 of 22 from 3-point range.
Duke’s first 3-pointer of the game capped a 10-2 run to open the second half for a 40-27 lead.
Necole Sterling made five 3-pointers and finished with 17 points for Miami (14-4, 4-1). The Hurricanes had their six-game winning streak snapped.
